Free Falling
by writeroses1029
Summary: Maximum Ride despises that her school has now become co-ed, especially since she hates men. To her, this upcoming school year will be terrible. But what if it's destiny? And what if someone can save her? She'll have to open up her heart to find out. R&R!
1. First Impressions

First Impressions

Stretching my arms, I looked up through the leaves of the trees. The newly rising sun was barely passing through. I smirked as I kept walking through the woods. Breathing in, I could smell the pine needles and the fresh, dry dirt. My sneakers scattered rock.

_Ah, nothing beats this._

A twig snapped. My hand instantly went to my onyx color bracelet. Turning around, I looked into the woods, searching. A rabbit suddenly scattered across the path in fear. Letting out the breath I had been holding, I turned back around and continued.

Before I knew, I was stepping onto the rough, cement surface of the sidewalk. I jumbled in with another group of kids. We were all wearing the matching school uniforms, which meant an incredibly awkward short skirt and a white, don't-you-dare-get-it-wet blouse. Among these kids, I was literally ticked off. Either they moved too slow or they talked too loud, I knew it was a bad day when they did _both_. Today was one of those days.

"I can't wait for today," one of the girl's snickered. "St. James is finally merging with St. Josephine's." I sighed.

_H-E-double French fries, I forgot about that_.

My recently all-girls school was becoming…insert nervous sweat…co-ed. I gripped the edge of my backpack with one hand. I shoved my other hand, the one with my bracelet, into the pocket of my jacket.

Keeping my eyes on the ground, I barely noticed when the crowd of girls had arrived at our school. Stopping, I watched as the giggles increased at the new sight. Never before had I seen males on campus that weren't teachers. I paused, slightly annoyed. Boys were just as annoying as girls, but _worse._

"Max!" Arms wrapped around my neck and dead weight fell on my back. I choked from the sudden death grip. "Aren't you exited? We finally have boys in this school to date!"

"No," I coughed, feeling the lack of oxygen to my brain. "Now can you let go of me before I go into a coma." The hold on me slacked, but remained. I yanked out of the loosened grip and turned around. "Geez, Lily, have some hormone control." I pushed my hair out of my face and turned back to the school.

Lily resembled a teenager from a manga comic. You know the type—wears the school uniform and actually looks good in it, funky hairstyles that shouldn't be attractive but can pull them off anyways, and oh, the sensitive, overbearing personality. "Max," she whined. "Be more excited! THERE ARE BOYS!"

As if to further prove her point, a group of new male students turned to look over at her. However, her demanding whining was for me alone. I sighed and pressed my fingers to my head. "Let's get to our lockers and our homerooms before anything weird happens."

"Hey there."

_I spoke too soon._

"Can you tell me where homeroom 204 is?" A figure stepped in front of the sun, coming into view. A boy taller than me (a rare case due to my five foot nine height) looked down. Let me describe the scene to you as if looking at a Seventeen Magazine Boy's Edition:

In season style: navy blazer ($150.00), button-up, white, long-sleeved designer shirt ($100.00), dark navy blue, plaid pants ($100.00), black leather shoes ($100.00). [all items on sale now!]

Featured Model: Justin Bieber blonde (combed, long side bangs), sparkling blue water eyes, Abercrombie model mouth (you know—the never smiling kind), and tanned from life-guarding at the beach skin.

Of course, Lily had lost it already. She pushed her side pony tail over her shoulder, and gave a flirty shrug. "Hey there! Room 204! That's our room. Come with us. That means you're a sophomore too! Freshman get the first floor, sophomores—second, etc. I'm Lily. This is Max."

Mr. Perfect's eyes fell on me. "Hey, I'm Dylan."

"Yeah, well, I'm going to my locker," I pointed over my shoulder, despite the fact that school was in front of me. "So, you two have a good time now. Bye." I walked away, hoping that would be the last of them.

"Max!" Lily called out, "Wait. Dylan probably has to go to his locker too, so let's all go together."

I snorted, "I doubt that our lockers are near each other. Normally their alphabetically."

"Not anymore," came a new voice. I looked down to see a familiar face. Nudge, another fanatic about the new co-ed rules, was standing by me. She readjusted her backpack. I remember her from elementary school, which had also been an all girls' school. Now, she was a freshman. We had kept in contact through after school groups. "Apparently due to the added male students, the teachers assumed it would be easier to arrange lockers by homeroom, so that old students could help the new students find them better. I found out when I hacked into the school system over the summer to see what the teachers were planning on." _Haven't changed a bit, have you Nudge._

"Well, isn't that nice of them," I muttered. Nudge laughed. Over the years, Nudge knew how much I despised men. If only for my own personal reasons…not that anyone needs to know about those.

Inside the school, I attempted to keep my distance. Nudge did her best to become a barrier for me. She stood on the outside, so she kept between me and other people in the hall. I kept close to the empty, abandoned wall. "So, I guess this will be an interesting freshman year for me. My mom was protesting me coming here. Apparently, she thinks I will be unable to handle myself with boys. She rather have me focus on my schoolwork, which hasn't been that good in the first place. But, I'm convinced that if textbooks had magazine format, I would be so much better."

"Nudge," I muttered, "Change the channel." I smirked as she shut her mouth. It had been a code between our volleyball group over the years. Whenever Nudge got too into a conversation, just say the secret phrase, and she'll say it.

"Wait? You're telling me I can't have little _cherry bombs_?"

While Nudge stepped over to her locker, I stood beside her and looked over by an open homeroom. A freshman (obviously) boy stood there with his head hanging low. His blonde hair was messed up, his shirt was wrinkle, and his tie was undone. No doubt sporting one example of why boys should be avoided; dirty behaviors. My homeroom teacher last year stood there with her arms crossed. I saw that she held a bag, no doubt containing the cherry bombs the boy had been whining about. "That really stinks," he whined.

"Take it as a warning," she replied. I smirked. _Yeah, Ms. Snow, you teach him. Don't let the boys get out of line!_

"Max, you better get going," Nudge replied as she shut her locker. All she carried with her was her new Coach bag. "Before you're late."

"Right, see you at lunch, all right?" She nodded her head and stepped into the same classroom that the weird boy had entered.

Stepping back into the flow of the hallways, I couldn't avoid hitting shoulders with other people. I grimaced in detest. My hand wrapped around my bracelet, soothingly holding onto it. Suddenly, a hand was on my shoulder. "Sorry, can you tell me where the stairs to the second floor are?" I peered over my shoulder. A boy stood there, his eyes staring _at_ me, but not directly at me. A film lied over his blue eyes.

"Yeah," I felt awkward. "I'm heading there, so just follow me." I couldn't not help him, even if he was a boy. "But, could you not touch me?" I asked. His hand dropped.

"Sorry," he mumbled, "And thanks. My friend sort of ditched me. He hates crowds, so he's probably already skipping." I frowned, another reason men were detestable—they always thought that because they were men, they could get out of anything with their excuses. As we were heading up the stairs, I was surprised that he was able to follow me without get trampled by the rest of the ground.

"My name's Iggy," he called out. I rolled my eyes. Men and their dumb nicknames. I didn't feel the need to respond. Why would I? I was already being nicer than usual by leading him up to the second floor. "I had the whole floor plan memorized before hand, but I never accounted for what the school was like with people moving around. At least I can hear your footsteps. You walk pretty lightly, like on the balls of your feet." I was shocked when I realized he was right. I was walking on the balls of my feet, that's how I always walked when I never thought about it.

We reached the second floor. "Thanks, I should be good now that the crowd is smaller. Maybe I'll see you around."

"Uh, you're blind, aren't you?" I asked.

His face dropped, "Oh my gosh, am I?" I hesitated, watching as his shocked expression shifted into one of pure laughter. "Man, than never gets old. It's almost as good as chocolate covered chips." I walked away, in no need for jokes.

I reached into the pocket of my jacket and pulled out the paper with my locker number and combination. I went to the number specified and went to turning the dial. Someone bumped into me. I lost track of the number. I had to start again. A paper plane it me, and with my fit of anger, I skipped over the last number. Frustrated, I punched the locker and tried again. Just as I was about to get the combination, I saw that someone had been watching me this entire time.

Standing about three inches taller than me, he had the appearance of the type of boys you tried to avoid. You know what I mean...the boys you don't want to be involved with…take for example, Breakfast Club…the guy that rich girl falls for and gives her diamond earring to. Honestly, I would've kept the earring if I was her.

Back to reality, his dark eyes were staring at my hand. His emotionless face barely took note of me. He just stared at my hand holding the dial for the locker. I frowned. Strands of his black hair fell in front of his eyes. "Quit staring, pervert," I remarked. He blinked and looked up at me. Now, he was staring at my face, which was even worse than when he was fixated on my hand. I turned my head and allowed my hair to fall over my shoulder. This created a veil so I could no longer concentrate on the strange boy who was now my locker buddy.

Opening my locker, I stuffed my bag inside. Being so disoriented from the boy, I had forgotten to grab my notebooks. Thus, the awkward moment of having to pull my binders out of the backpack, which was now shoved inside the small confinements of the locker. After all the yanking and pulling, I finally managed to grab one of the binders I needed…only to accidently pull out my pencil case. It dropped onto the ground. As I reached for it, my hand lightly grazed against the hand of another. Staring up, I saw Breakfast Club folding his longer fingers around the contours of the pencil case. Picking it up, he handed it over to me. I snatched it out of his hand and glared at him, "Don't touch my stuff, ever again." I slammed my locker shut and walked away.

Stepping into my new classroom, I headed to the back of the classroom. I noticed that Lila and Dylan were there in deep conversation. I heard her flirtatious laugh. I smacked my notebook on the last desk, closest to the window, and slid into the seat. I crossed my arms on the surface and lowered my head. Looking outside, I saw the blue sky, hoping to become a part of it sooner rather than later.

Voices were so excited. Names were exchanged as the classroom filled up with new students. I heard the Iggy kid start talking to Lila and Dylan. They were in back as well, but across the room from me. "Fang!" I heard Iggy call out, "Hey, I thought I recognized those footsteps."

I kept gazing outside. I was suddenly trapped, unable to escape. Even if I closed my eyes, the darkness wasn't close enough to freedom. A bell rang, every one shifted into their seats. Even the one next to me and in front of me were filled. I didn't bother to get to know my neighbors. Like I honestly should. I hated meeting them back when they were girls. Now, stupid boys as well?

Instead, I remained looking outside. My eyes began to waver shut.

"Maximum Ride!" I sat up straight and looked towards the front of the class room. The new teacher sat there with the clipboard in her hand. Eyes looked over at me. I pushed my brown hair out of my face.

"Yeah, that's me," I called out. I rested my hands on the desk. In the corner of my view, I saw the person in front of me. Whoever it was had turned their body almost completely around to face me. I shifted my focus on them, only to realize it was my new locker buddy. His eyes were once again on my hands. I allowed my fingers to run over my bracelet and hide it. Such a movement caught his attention. Such a sudden fixation…on my wrist.

"If you're a vampire," I warned, "Stay clear of me." He tilted his head, intrigued. Because honestly, what sane sort of person would say that to a complete stranger. Well, I never did clarify my state of sanity. I guess in some ways, I'm a bit of a mad-hatter. "My blood is tainted." I yanked my hands back and hid them under the desk. "And quit staring too, Pervert."

In my opinion, that would be his name forever—Pervert.

* * *

**Please review if you liked this story! I really hope so. :) Read on to find out what happens. Also, just a little fun fact, First Impressions was Jane Austen's original title for Pride and Prejudice. **

**Also, if you like my work and you're a follower of mine, I would like to inform you that I am soon publishing a book throuhg (once my copyright comes through). You can keep track by going to my blog. The link for it is on my profile page here on fanfiction. You can follow me through the blog or become a follower on twitter. Please do! Also, you can contact me for any questions through my blog. I'm much better at answering emails than messages on fanfiction.**

**I promise to update soon. (My goal is once a week).**

**Write you later!**

**writeroses**


	2. Ordinary

Ordinary

A bell rang out.

"Welcome to Joey's Bakery. I'll be right with you." I fumbled with restocking the brown cardboard coffee holders. Then, I turned to getting a box of tops for the cups. I reached up, stretching up on my toes. My fingertips fumbled and reached, but it was too high for me, ironically. Frustrated and unable to give up, I jumped and smacked at the box. I managed to get it down, in the most uncontrolled fashion ever. Gravity brought the box down without my consent, spilling the plastic bags of coffee cups and tops onto the floor. "Crap," I mumbled.

Turning around, in the process of picking everything up, I caught sight of my customer. Naturally, everything dropped from my hold. At the sound of the bags scattering and hitting the floor, he raised his eyes up over to me. With dark, piercing, emotionless—maybe slightly possessed— eyes, the pervert stood there, still dressed in his school uniform. "Even crappier," I said aloud.

Stepping over to the cashier, ignoring my accident on the floor, I gave the false smile of a good employee. "What would you like?" My persona quickly dropped though as the boy slightly stared at me. He was making observations, no doubt, to try and figure out who I was.

"Chocolate Chip Cookies," he replied. "A box." I punched in the numbers. His voice was quiet, barely a whisper. The sound reminded me of when lying in an empty room listening to the rain lightly pound against a window. _That_ exact sort of _annoying_ sound. I jabbed in the "enter" and allowed the price to appear on the screen. I refused to speak. Instead, I took the bill he offered, avoided too long of a contact with the bill, and handed him over his change.

From there, I went to get his order from one of the glass containers. Standing in a black tee shirt and jeans, I might have been able to face this guy and, if need be, punched him in the face. But, the pink and brown worker's apron was enough of an embarrassment with strangers, that facing someone from school was even worse. I handed over the pink, cardboard box over to him. My eyes caught the sight of a black leather bracelet on his wrist as he reached for the box. His fingers lightly traced over mine. Out of pure necessity, I wiped my hands on my apron…right in front of him.

He held the box and raised an eyebrow. "Crazy," he said in a very monotone voice. My jaw tightened. A part of me wanted to yell at him, but I was more restrained than that. If he thought he could get a reaction out of me, he had another thing coming.

"Pervert Stalker," I retorted. My eyes traced over him, with his messy strands of black hair, thin lips, dark eyes, undone tie, and wrinkled clothes. His black bag's strap crossed across his chest, the bag hanging at his side. _Don't come back again, _I muttered in my head as he turned around and went to leave.

Through the glass windows, I watched the strange boy walk across the street to a nice city bench. Out there in the shadows of a tree, I spotted Lily and Nudge, as well as the Abercrombie Dylan and cherry bomb kid. Even the Iggy guy was there, lying on the garden's brick wall. Pervert joined them, creating a mass reaction of excitement from the box in his hands.

Running a hand over my bracelet, I thought of what I'd do when I go home. Of course, I could have done the homework in my bag that had been given for the weekend. If I honestly tried, I could have called up Lily or Nudge and made plans with them for tomorrow. Neither of those were actual options.

No, I would do what I did every weekend.

Screams echoed around the room as sweated dripped down along my face. I lifted my fists into the air as I stared down the opponent across from me. His breathing was heavy as his shoulders shook. The crowd that formed around the circle was screaming and yelling out bets. Last I checked, the odds were 12:1, for me.

Suddenly, the man lifted his fist in the air and let out a loud yell. He charged me, I easily stepped aside. He ran past me towards the edge of the fighting ring. When he turned back around, I ducked underneath his punch and swung my arm upwards to jab my fist into his stomach. Letting out a breath, his knees buckled and he fell to the floor. Before he could recover, I swung once more. My knuckles jammed into his jaw, forcing his head to snap to the side. He collapsed completely, knocked cold. Cheers and protests echoed around as I back up. I wiped my forehead of sweat. Blood smeared across from forearm from a cut on my head. My skin ached now that I was out of battle mode. I could feel tomorrow's bruises starting to form. I waited patiently for the next fight until cries called out and a mass of panic spread through the crowd.

Lights jolted on as the gamblers and fighters began to run around in desperate attempts to escape. I broke out into an easy run. My slender form easily snuck through the spaces. I kept my body hunched over and low to avoid being seen. In the stampede, I was pushed and stepped on, but I finally managed to make it to a slightly ajar window. Jumping up, I gripped the edge and crawled through. Clumsily, I fell onto the garbage pile that rested outside in the alley way. Cans scattered away from the impact as I managed to stand up.

Looking carefully both ways, my eye sight determined that no one was around. In the cool, summer night, I felt goose bumps arise on my skin. My hand went assuredly to the onyx bracelet around my other wrist. Swiping it off in one movement, I removed it while simultaneously rolling my shoulders. Spanning out about fourteen feet, the wings stretched out happily. Inside, the police and the crowd were screaming and yelling. I had seconds, maybe a minute, to escape before someone else arrived.

Bending down into a low squat, my legs pushed into the asphalt of the ground. Lifting myself up in a small jump, my wings stroked in agony. Note to those with wings: jumping straight into the air and trying to fly is never fun. However, this was one of those desperate times, desperate measures sort of situation. My feathers brushed against the bricks of the buildings as I forced myself up into the air. Grimacing, sweat dripped into my eyes. Slowly, I reached over the roofs of the building.

Glass shattered below, sirens screeched, and feet scattered. I remained looking down on the world, arising up. As I grew closer to the sky, I became more invisible. My pounding heart slowly started to subdue to a normal calm. Blood dripped along my cheek, but I was unconcerned with the wound. For now, I had to get home.

I turned assuredly, flying at a quick pace. What would've taken an hour was a mere fifteen minutes. When I went towards the open yard at the back of my house, I landed by running. My wings pulled in, and I placed the bracelet back on. In the instant that it returned to my wrist, I felt normal again. The large wings were no longer there, hidden from the world and even from me. Just another handy dandy work of science…much like myself.

I walked through the empty house, the one where I lived all alone. The lights remained off, keeping me hidden in the woods. I stepped into the bathroom, hoping to at least clean my wounds before they healed too quickly. My body was still shaking with adrenaline, but I was used to it.

Just a typical mutant freak weekend.

* * *

**Hope you liked this chapter...I know, it's different that I assume you expected. :D I updated a day early (since I'm trying to update all my fanfiction stories on Monday now) because I figured you guys couldn't wait. ;)**

**I'd also like to tell you guys that I've updated my profile page. There are a bunch of links on there to visit including my Facebook Fan Page and my blog. Check them out. Like me on Facebook even. **

**Don't make me use the Force...**

**writeroses1029**


	3. Fear Comes Naturally

"So, a bakery?"

Slamming my locker shut, I found Pervert leaning against the locker with his arms crossed and his eyebrows raised. I scowled. "Definitely aren't sweet enough." His deep voice dropped in a taunting whisper. I walked away, ignoring the screaming pain of my muscles.

Sitting at a desk, waiting for class to begin, I stared out the window. My body was stinging all over from the fight. It was a nice feeling.

It let me know I was alive and breathing.

"Max," Lily called. "Why have you been so grumpy lately?" Sighing, I turned my gaze over to her. Her blonde hair was in a messy side bun as she sat there in the desk next to mine. I gave her a look, which wasn't enough. She simply tilted her head and stared at me.

"I just preferred it when it was an all girls school. That's all." I replied. I placed my chin on my hand. Lily raised her eyebrows and looked up to the ceiling, actually thinking about my words. I bet she didn't understand a thing I had said. "Never mind," I replied.

Loud yells came out from the crowd. I placed my hand over my bracelet, calmly watching as the Iggy guy and Pervert walked into the classroom along with their friends. A few short weeks had passed, but their popularity had quickly risen. The voices of the group were jamming into my brain unpleasantly. Standing up, I forced myself to walk out of the classroom. I couldn't stand it anymore. I kept my eyes down to the ground as I broke out into a run. The final bell for class had started. _No more…no…more…don't make me face this. I'm not strong enough._

My body carried itself out into the open, fall air. Leaves were being stolen by the wind and dragged in front of my eyes. I felt the cold brush against my skin. Digging the toes of my sneakers into the sidewalk, I continued on with my run. I had to be safe and protected, even if it meant running from a school like this.

Down the roads and my familiar turn towards the woods, I felt hot tears building up in my eyes. My hands had curled into fists. My fingernails pressed into my skin, wanting to form cuts. I could see eyes watching me, staring at me. I was unable to escape it. The trees created a shadow over me, but it wasn't enough. The darkness only engulfed over me, closing in on me. I reached over to my hand and assuredly removed the one thing capable of hiding my secret—the bracelet.

With it gone, my wings were once again present on my back. I ran forward and flapped my wings. Slowly, air caught underneath them and before I knew it, I was being lifted higher than I had ever been before. I pushed through the branches of the trees and made it safely into the large open sky. A smile broke as the wind I created blew away my tears. Relief flooded through me as I approached my lonely, hidden home in the middle of the open field. I landed, running a bit to avoid tripping. Then, when I lifted my head, I paused.

There he stood.

"Maximum," he scolded. "You should be in school right now." My eyes widened, watching as his figure stepped into the light. His slicked back hair and trimmed face, the glasses on the bridge of his nose. A white coat resting over his normal day clothes. Nothing more than a traitor in my opinion. "Or did something happen?"

"Oh," I snapped, "Now we're playing the doting father, are we? Should I be the loving daughter too?" I grasped my hands and held them in the air. "Oh Daddy, what a lovely surprise. I never knew you be here today. I was just flying on home thinking about how much I missed…_you_." My charade caved and transformed into a sneer. "Damn you, Jeb."

"I was only here to check up on you." He replied. I coughed and rolled my eyes. The briefcase in his hand became my main fear. What sort of medicine was it now? Which drug would he be risking my life with? Only time could tell. I flicked him and the bird while simultaneously turning around, preparing to fly off. "Max!" He called out. "Don't you dare think about leaving, you know what will happen if you do." I uncoiled my fists and stared at him, feeling like a deer lost in the dangerous headlights. Jeb was speeding towards me…and I was stuck where I was. Death was coming and I couldn't do a thing.

"Anyone ever tell you that you're the worst father in the world?" I spat at him. He was unaffected. It was always hard to get on Jeb's nerves, considering he never cared.

"I am not your father," he scolded me. "I am simply your creator."

"Same jist, same damn thing," I muttered. He was closer now, opening up his briefcase. At that moment, I knew it was past the point of resistance. I held out my arm. "Do it quickly. I want to get the pain over with." Jeb pulled out a glass container with a strange liquid inside. His other hand grasped a needle. "If it wasn't you doing it, who would it be?" I sighed, feeling the familiar pinch of the needle. "Maybe Dr…what's his name? Or Chu? You guys sure do a lot of shit don't you?" I couldn't control my anger. Jeb pulled out the needle. "Well _thank_ you for being so damn nice." My arm dropped to my side and turned away from him. "What's the diagnosis, doc?"

"You may be tired for the next few days. It's simply a concoction that should make you fly faster." Jeb stood there. "You may hate me Max. But, you should understand that you'd have it a lot worse if it weren't for me. Remember what it was like when you were first discovered?" I tensed up. The slight mention sent nightmares running through my mind. I reached out, enclosing his white coat into my fists.

"Shut your mouth." However, I couldn't hold on much longer. My arms collapsed. "You and your scientific little friends are the reason I hate men," I spat. "Using me for your own experiments. When will you let me go?" My knees buckled.

"Soon enough Max. Soon enough." Jeb reached out to pat my head. I let myself fall into the mud before his fingers could reach me. "When the timing is right," he reassuringly spoke.

_I will never trust you._

_

* * *

_

**Sorry for the long update. Things always come up every now and then. I really hope that you will continue with the story. If you liked it, please review! Also, go ahead to my profile page and you can find links to my Blog, my Facebook Fan page, and more! My writing name is Rose Schroth, so Like me on Facebook and become a follower on my Google Blog. In case you didn't notice, I use to be flyerac1029, which was then changed to writeras1029, and is finally writeroses. Sorry for the confusion.**

**Also, check out my other fanfictions. I will update you and let you know when my actual novel is availble for purchase.**

**Bye for now,**

**Rose Schroth**


	4. Where We Were

Where We Were

_I was screaming and thrashing around. Arms held me down. "Max, we need you to relax." The voice was dark. I was flipped over onto my stomach. "Otherwise, you'll die." My body froze. I may have only been six, but I knew what death meant. Hands began applying a cold liquid onto my back. "This will hurt. If it's too much, just pass out, all right?"A hand patted my head seconds before a needle was inserted into my spine. A scream emitted from my throat, but the pain quickly ceased. _

_But it wasn't over…_

_Stretching, unsettling pain ripped through my back. My toes and fingers curled as my legs and arms locked into their joints. I arched my back and screamed so loudly. The bright light forced me to shut my eyes. I could feel their eyes observing. I twisted, trying to escape the unending poison. My heart began to pump so fast that the machine recording my heartbeat sounded like it might explode. Eventually, it went on for too long and I couldn't hold on to it anymore. I caved and let the blackness overtake me._

_Shadows formed around me._

_Only shadows…for my early years of lives, that's all I could remember. But, those had been days I could question with some form of hope._

_Did flying mean the highest I could go on a swing set?_

_Did needles hold things that were good things?_

_When I woke up from the nightmares, was someone there to hold me instead of kicking my cage?_

_Was normal the only word used to describe those years?_

_I couldn't remember._

_But, I hoped they did._

_My fingers curled around the metal bars of my cage. I yanked them back early, hearing the sound of the scientist's clipboard slice through the air. The sound of it hitting the cage rattled through my ears. I hunched back into the corner. My small, dirty fingers gripped at each other. "Stay back," he ordered._

_A door opened, streaming light into the shadows that I lived in now. Someone knelt down in front of me. "Hello Maximum." The mean doctor man kneeled in front of me. He had a grin on his face. "Are your healing up just fine?" I hunched my shoulders together, feeling the strange pain in my back. "That medicine we gave you, it worked very nice. Maybe you can go outside in a little while, and we'll see how you do."_

_Tears dropped along my cheeks. The water picked up the dirt and blood along my cheeks. He kept smiling, "Don't worry, you'll get out of here someday Max. Someday. I promise."_

The pit of my stomach forced me awake. Leaning over, I emitted whatever was in my stomach. The acid stung in my throat as I threw up. I then collapsed back down on to my back. Groaning, I opened my eyes. I stared at the high arched ceiling of my bedroom. My back rested into the comfort of the mattress. A tear had trailed along my cheek. "Damn dream," I muttered. I scratched away my tear. The reason I avoided sleep at all cost was because of that reoccurring nightmare.

The day I was given wings, meshed with the day I met Jeb.

Sitting up, my joints cracked and moaned. A gurgling in my stomach told me I was hungry. My hands curled around the edge of the blankets placed over my legs. Jeb had to have brought me here. I attempted to get up, not wanting to allow him the satisfaction of taking care of me. My wings had fallen asleep. My legs caved a bit, trying to grow accustomed to holding me up. I made my way out of the room and into the bathroom. Flickering on the light, I stared into my reflection. My hair was wild, probably from constantly turning in my sleep. My face looked pale and dead. Bending over, I turned on the water and began washing my face. Then, I caught sight of my bracelet on the sink. I quickly placed it back on, allowing my wings to disappear. I stepped back out into my bedroom, getting out of my wrinkled uniform and stepping into shorts and a tank top. My brain was pounding against my skull.

Eventually, I managed my way downstairs into the kitchen. I opened the fridge, to find it almost empty. _Hmmm…looks like a cheese sandwich without bread or a questionable apple._ I stared down my options, wondering if the apple would be dangerous or not. That's when the doorbell rang. I froze up.

Carefully, I walked down the hallway. I peered around the edge to see out the window beside the door. I noticed that Lily was there, but she wasn't alone. "What the hell?" I asked. I went and answered the door. Finding my friend, Iggy, Dylan, and Pervert all standing there.

"Here Max, we were told to bring you your school work." Lily held out her hands. All of my books were there. I stared at them, not quit willing to touch them.

"How?" I demanded. My voice was a whisper though. My head was still dizzy from just waking up.

"The school said they got a call from your dad. He said you weren't feeling well, but he had to go away on a business trip. So, he told them to give your friends our address and homework. They chose the four of us." I narrowed my eyes. _They thought I was friends with these guys?_

"We brought food too," Dylan offered, lifting a bag of food. The smell drifted up to my nose, causing my stomach to grumble. One thing about a bird kid—the stomach controlled all decisions. Stepping aside, I watched all of them enter my home. Their eyes, excluding Iggy's, looked around, admiring my house.

"Come on," I headed into the living room and sat down into the carpet. Lily sat beside me, placing my books on the table. "How much did I miss?"

"A lot," she replied, "But what do you expect? Three days adds up." _Damn it Jeb. Three days?_ I pressed my fingers against my head, biting the inside of my cheek to stop my anger. "Everything, including notes, is here. You can look at it once we leave. I also gave you my cell phone number so if you have any questions, you can ask me."

Dylan was opening the containers of Chinese food. My eyes widened at the vast amount of food. I wondered who had paid for it. My eyes looked over at Pervert, his eyes were watching me. He looked down and away when our eyes connected. I frowned. My skin was itching nervously at the close proximity with the guys. I couldn't bring myself to do anything else though. I simply sat there while everyone else began to eat. I wanted to eat as well, but despite my stomach's desires. My heart was pancking too much now. Deep in my mind, I knew.

It could only get worse from here.

* * *

**Review if you want to see what happens next! **

**Also, if you really enjoy my writing, please visit my blog. The link is on my profile page. There is also a linke to my Teen Ink work, my Facebook Fan Page, and my Twitter acount. Follow me if you're interested in learning about my work. I am currently trying to publish my first novel. **

**Also, to the review who asked why Max called Fang a Pervert? Well, she's Max. Sometimes, she takes things to the extremes. Since she hasn't had the chance to learn Fang's name, she really has no other option.**

**Read on!**

**writeroses1029**


	5. Speak Easy

Food definitely holds more precedence over my dislike of people in general. Without the fuel, I would have been stumbling around like the drunks at the bar. I lifted my arm and grabbed the first box in sight. Lily, having dealt with my hunger before, handed a pair of chopsticks over to me before anyone could say a word. "We were sure worried about you Max," she commented as I ate large bites of the brown noodles. I barely got a taste in as my stomach beckoned each piece of the food that touched my mouth.

"Sorry," I mumbled, looking directly at her. I wasn't going to let the _boys_ assume I was apologizing to them. I never wanted them here in the first place. When Lily smiled, I instantly turned away. Even the kindness of a friend like Lily was strange to a person like me. Whenever I saw someone so happy, trying to share their happiness with me, I instantly pull back into my core. The weight of my bracelet will suddenly increase and I'll feel like I'm going to puke up darkness and ruin everything around me.

Yeah…it's a great feeling.

"If you need help with English, feel free to ask." Lily offered. I stared down at the pile of books. Apparently, everything in my locker had been removed and placed on the table amongst the food. "You missed a lot. We started reading that Shakespeare play…the tragedy…what is it called again?" I held back answering her question with "my life".

"Macbeth," Pervert suggested. His voice was quiet. One of the few words I had ever heard from him. He kept his dark eyes fixed on Lily, probably infatuated with her already. Unlike me, Lily eagerly accepted his attention.

"That's right!" She clapped her hands together and pointed towards him. "You would know Nick. You're always sitting in the back of class, reading." She giggled and pushed a hand through her hair.

"It's cause he's a lazy ass," Iggy joked, elbowing Nick in the side. "Such a slacker. You'd think he would be failing every class, but the kid's a frickin' genius too."

"How did you get to be so smart?" Lily asked. Nick simply shrugged while his eyes darted away from everyone else. "You're so quiet too. Why is that?" Again, he shrugged. Lily quickly lost interest. "Dylan, you should help Max with Chem. It's such a hard class. I'm already failing it." Dylan's perfect model hair swayed back and forth as he nodded his head.

"Sure," he gave a brilliant white smile. "That's all right by me." His vibrant eyes lit up as they connected with mine. I quickly looked away and began reaching for another container of food. It was then that it happened.

My fingers came close to another set of fingertips. They were calloused and tan colored. The fingernails were recently cut, but the knuckles were covered with fighting scars. Wrapped tightly around the wrist was a thick, black bracelet. At the close proximity, my bracelet shocked me. Instantly pulling both our hands away, I lifted my eyes up to stare at Pervert. My other hand wrapped around my wrist, comforting it from the sudden, unexpected reaction. I rested my hand on my lap. "I'm full." I quickly rose to my feet. "I need to rest, since I haven't fully recovered. I suspect that all of you can find your way to the door?" Everyone lifted their heads up in my direction. I stood there, my hands at my sides. My arm still tingled from the shock of the bracelet. "Thanks," I muttered, "And goodbye."

I walked away before another word could be said.

* * *

"It's been awhile Maxy-poo." He teased from behind the bar counter.

Rolling my shoulder in preparation for the fight, I turned to face him. "Shut up," I snapped. "I'm back, all right? I got a pretty good sickness last week and I needed to recover," I lied. Tony shook his head as he poured a draft beer for a customer. The crowd was already forming, watching the introduction fight. I would be next.

"Don't think you have special privileges just because you're undefeated," Tony warned. He ran a hand over his bald head for a moment. Dollars were waved in front of his face, so he went back to getting more drinks.

"You would think I should get some special gift though, for being the best of any man that walks in here." I crossed my arms and leaned back against the counter. A fan girl of one of the fighters bumped into me, trying to order her love a drink. I kept my eyes off of her, disgusted by her behavior and choice of garments. When the sparkling entity walked away, I managed to catch a glimpst of the large crowd forming in a circle. The cries were getting louder. Someone was close to loosing.

"You're annoying, Tony," I replied with a frustrated sigh. "It's hard to believe you're twenty-eight." Tony laughed, thinking I was kidding with him. I watched the excited crowd start to scream out my bets and words of encouragment. Sighing, I stood up striaght and placed one of my hands in my pocket. The other hand unconsciously ran over my neck where Jeb had stuck the large needle. The wound was almost completely healed.

Once again, another advantage to bird kid powers.

A large thud echoed throughout the room. Someone had just lost their match. The crowd broke out into fits of anger and joy. I stood up on the balls of my feet, attempting to get a better look. When I realized that I couldn't see a thing, I headed out to try and push my way through the crowd. "Looks like it's finally my turn," I commented while peering over my shoulder. "Another win to add to my reign." Stepping forward, those who recognized me, quickly stepped aside.

"Hey Max!" I turned around to see Tony still standing there. As the leader of the fighting ring, he could always predict what would happen next. He lifted his large, meaty hands up to his mouth and called out to me. "One day, you will lose."

I laughed off his response, because I didn't know better back then.

* * *

**THERE IT IS! Chapter 5!**

**If you like, then Reviews are practically required. :)**

**I would also like to let you readers know that I am officially self-publishing my first novel on June 1, 2011 on the website . There will be an Ebook, Paperback, and Hardcover option for you to choose from. I will be sure to post the links to the website when avaible. and I also plan on making this next chapter a summary of my book and the first chapter, so you can see if you like it or not! Also, you can follow me on Facebook, under the name Rose Schroth, and the same goes for Twitter. I also have a blog on google blogs called "Rose Schroth". Check it out!**

**Thanks for constantly reading my work!**

**Rose Schroth**


	6. Counting Stars

_Dear Readers,_

_I apologize in advance. This is not a chapter to the story for which you have asked Fanfiction to alert you about. This is a special introduction to my first novel, __Counting Stars_, _which will be on sale June 1, 2011 on . You will find the web links up on my fanfiction profile by that day. For all of you who have been reading my work, this is a thank you—the summary of the book, plus the first chapter. I hope you enjoy it! You will have the choice of buying either the paperback, hardcover, or Ebook version._

_Sincerely,_

_Rose_

* * *

"In the end, it's all the same, just like the stars in the sky."

Annabel Hartman holds horrible secrets in her heart; she is the sole caretaker of her brother Ryan, her mother's killer is still haunting her, and she has a predetermined destiny she can't escape.

Annabel believes she is meant to be alone.

However, after moving to a new town, she becomes friends with the Alderics, four brothers with a curse as terrible as her own.

They reveal to her that each of them have the power of an element; earth, water, fire, and wind.

Annabel is instantly welcomed into their world and she begins to let them into hers. But as she gets closer to the Alderics, she begins to believe that meeting them was a part of the destiny she never wanted.

* * *

_Chapter 1_

"_**If you aren't strong, you'll die."**_

_I am cursed…_

_…I am destined to be alone._

_What else could explain the life I have been given?_

_I am a monster after all; I don't deserve anything more than what I have._

Before me was the familiar, red punching bag; I took a deep breath and shut my eyes. I focused on every muscle in my body. I began to slowly flex each one from my arms to my ankles. I let my thoughts dull down to a soft murmur as I focused only on this one hit that I was going to make. I inhaled when…

"Annabel! We're going to be late!" With a frustrated grunt, I went in for one solid kick to the bag. My leg connected with a loud smack into the center of the sack. I heard the black, plastic bottom scrap across the floor and, soon afterward, the usual thud as it smacked against the wall. My fists tightened as I stared at the inanimate enemy.

"I don't want to be here," I told no one but myself. With a soft shrug and a quick shake of my head to get my bangs out of my eyes, I turned around and placed my black converse sneakers on. As I tied my shoes, my thoughts turned back on into a constant roar like they had been ever since we moved here, into this dumb, awful house.

Just two weeks ago, my brother and I had moved here to some small suburban town that people never heard about. The day my mother told me we were moving was on my sixteenth birthday two and a half months ago. Not long after that, my mother died, and my father became an alcoholic. My brother and I still moved here to this house, but we were pretty much orphans as Dad entered rehab to deal with the drinking, and mom was buried in the cemetery back home. At the moment, we were living off the checks our father sent us and someday soon, the money I would earn through my job at a local restaurant in town. Right now though, being here in a new world was not exciting, especially considering the circumstances that my brother and I were forced into. The only choice I had now was to make sure I could protect him, and make everything better for him. I wasn't too concerned with myself.

"Annabel!" I heard again. I snapped back into reality.

"I'm coming," I called back, a bit of anger in my tone, which I instantly regretted. I grabbed my backpack, an army green messenger bag, and ran up the stairs with an easy sprint. My bag hit against my leg the entire way up as my hand reached for the doorknob. When I opened the door to the main floor, I saw my younger brother standing there, looking right at me impatiently.

"Pop's will be mad if you put another dent in the wall." Ryan said with a grin that was only a mere lift at the corner of his lips. He fiddled with his black framed glasses. "And he did say we weren't supposed to be late for school on our first day." I sighed and ran a hand through my brown hair. _Yeah, he said that before everything happened…I wondered what he would say now…_

"I know," I huffed. Why did Ryan seem more responsible than me? "Let's go, we do have to walk after all." I placed an arm around my brother's shoulders. He was only a few inches shorter than me, and in time, I would assume he would outgrow me. With that sad thought, I led us out the door, shut it behind us, and headed down the steps.

Here, where we lived now, was nowhere near home. Home was better than this ever could be. The green grass, the white-picket fences, the clean sidewalks, and small trees weren't as free, open, or loving as the ones back where we used to be, my family and I. Here it was copies of the same house all lined up, paved roads instead of dirt, and prep schools that made us wear uniforms. "Annabel," my brother was only eleven years old and still, he was more of an adult than I was. "Everything will be okay. Mom would've liked it here, so why can't you like it too?"

I cringed at the acknowledgment. "I can't…because," my eyes drifted down to our feet taking each step slowly, one at a time, "Because, mom would've made this place okay. She's not here to do that." _At least if she was still here, I could still have her, even if she didn't love me…At least, I'd feel like I had a purpose…_ I shook off my thoughts, knowing that it didn't matter if whether or not mom was here. I would still have my _purpose_.

"She did it for us, though," Ryan continued, "She did it because—," I clamped my hand over his mouth. We stopped walking as I kneeled down in front of him. I glared at him, with a cold stare that I wish I didn't have to use on him. My hand still pressed firmly against his lips.

"We _never_ speak of it," I whispered harshly. "_Never_, do you understand me?" Ryan nodded his head. His brown eyes were filling up with tears already. I dropped my hand from his mouth, which was trembling now. A gust of wind brushed his brown hair in front of his eyes as I looked away from him and at the bottom of a white fence mixing in with the green grass, "I'm sorry. But you ought to know better."_ My secret is a secret for a reason._

"I know, but," Ryan was hesitant, careful, "We never talk of it, even when we should." I patted his shoulder, in a way, telling him that we would discuss it some other time in private. His shoulders sagged, and his eyes went down to the sidewalk to watch our moving feet. I lifted my eyes up to the perfect blue sky with the clouds lazily rolling along. I felt like I had entered a nightmare, and I was the monster in the center spotlight.

"Let's just," I sighed and once again ran my hand through my long waves of hair. "Let's just get through today, okay? And tell you what, I'll show you some new fighting moves for you to work on." A smile, a small one at that, appeared on my brother's face as he fixed his glasses.,"Now come on," I said, once again placing a protective arm over my brother's shoulders, "As your sister, I have to make sure you make it to your middle school orientation."

As it was, we were just walking on the way to Hawthorne, a private school not far from home, when we ran into them.

"You've got some nerve, you know that!" Both Ryan and I lifted our heads towards the sound. At the corner of the sidewalk where we would have to cross, a group of teens suddenly appeared. The one in the front looked a bit annoyed with his hands shoved in his pockets, and his eyes clamped shut. He was biting his bottom lip while mumbling to himself. He was dressed in the Hawthorne uniform like Ryan.

Just behind him, the other three walked, and by the looks of it, they were all related. They had the same chins, noses, and even black feathery hair. The tallest of them had his hand on the shoulder of the smallest. Assuming he was the oldest, I quickly noted his dark green shirt with a brown tie and tan dress pants with brown leather shoes. His hair went down to the small of his back and was flowing about in the wind. He was slightly glaring at the one in the front, but not in a mean way, just a frustrated way as if he was used to dealing with this.

"Honestly, you need to relax. I hate you too, but it's not like we need _everyone_ to know," the voice was cold and smooth. It came from the second tallest boy, who was wearing the usual boy's uniform for Hawthorne too; a black vest with the crest, a white shirt and black tie, and black pants with black leather shoes. The youngest whose eyes were casted down on the ground also had the same clothing as his two brothers.

"Well!" The boy who was in front turned around to face them. His eyes were open now, and I was suddenly taken aback. Unlike the other three, whose eyes were all a deep forest green, his were a piercing blue that seemed too scary to be real. "I could care less. And _what_ are you staring at?" Suddenly, his eyes were on my brother and me. Instinctively, I pushed Ryan behind me while I glared at him.

"Nothing special," I retorted with a snide. I felt myself glare again as the three other boys snickered at my response. The one who had yelled at me stood up straighter and turned to face me with a shocked expression on his face. "Let's go Ryan, I have to take you to orientation." I softly grabbed my brother's wrist and quickly moved past the boys. I was in no mood for social interactions with anyone.

As we crossed the street towards the tall, looming building of Hawthorne Prep, I heard the group of boys talking. Apparently, they were incapable of whispering.

"Aiden, that girl totally embarassed you!"

"SHUT UP!"

"That was interesting."

"I SAID, 'SHUT UP!'"

I shook my head and kept moving until we were out of earshot. "You weren't very nice." Shocked, I looked down at Ryan who was staring forward. "You could've been nicer. You don't always have to let your anger get the best of you." _But my anger is all I have…_

I huffed, "Well, it's hard, all right? Besides, it's not like it matters. In this school, I'll probably never see any of them again." We pushed through crowds of people as I followed the signs that pointed towards the auditorium. I felt myself get agitated as I held tight onto Ryan's wrist so as not to lose him.

Ryan sighed, "You'll never learn will you Annabel?" His eyes casted down to the ground, and his shoulders sagged. I could tell how disappointed he was in me. Then, he muttered again to me as he stood at my side, "You'll never learn what it means to have a friend, will you?"

_Nope._

By then, I found the auditorium where all the seventh graders had to go for orientation with a legal guardian. Since my father was not available, the dean approved for me to take Ryan instead. Hawthorne Prep was two parts, a middle school and a high school, which meant Ryan and I had classes in the same building. "We're sitting back here." I led Ryan to the farthest corner of the auditorium, and we sat down. I placed my feet on the seat in front of me and crossed my arms. "I already hate it here."

Ryan sighed, "So easy to hate. So hard to love." Mom used to say the same exact thing when Ryan and I were younger.

I chose to ignore his statement and observed the room. There were two exits behind us on either side of the wide room. The seats were centered, and there were about twenty rows total. There was a stage set up, with a podium and microphone, and near it was a line of seats filled up with teachers. I shut my eyes and rested my head back, too frustrated to want to deal with any of this.

"Hello there," I jumped and lifted my head to see two of the boys that we had run into before. Up close now, I realized that the tall one had to be in his late-twenties or even early-thirties. He had a wide grin on his face as he pushed his long hair off his shoulder. "I'd thought this area would be empty. I'm not a fan of crowds, and I plan on sleeping. I've been to these already with my other brothers so…it gets quite repetitive by the second time." The smallest boy sat down next to Ryan and from behind the layers of long black hair, stared curiously.

"Who are you?" I demanded seeing as how, right now, these strangers were sitting next to my brother. My blood was boiling as I wondered how I could protect him in case of an attack. The older of the two smirked at me as if we were long lost friends and he was the only one who remembered.

"Annabel," Ryan whispered calmly, "You don't have to be so paranoid." He patted my hand with his own, just like mom used to do whenever I got angry in public. I hated that he was acting more like a parent now, instead of me, seeing as how I was the one in charge of taking care of him. "Really, you don't need to panic over everything," Ryan added.

_Oh, but I do. I really do._

"Annabel? What a lovely name," the oldest said. I frowned and glared at him. "My name is Demetrius Alderic." He held out a hand, but I refused to shake it. He pulled his hand back and stared at me, "You're a very interesting person aren't you," he inquired.

"I'm still too young for you," I retorted. Demetrius laughed and rested his hand on his chin. He kept watching me. "I'm not interested," I replied, turning my head away from them.

"I never meant anything like that," Demetrius defended. I still kept my eyes on the stage in front of me though. "This is my youngest brother, Kari. The other two you saw with me, well the one who _didn't_ yell at you was Namir, and the one who did was Aiden. They're both juniors. Namir's eighteen, and Aiden's seventeen. What about you, Annabel?" I felt my fists tighten when he said my name so lightly…so casually.

"Annabel's a junior too! She turned sixteen last June." Ryan said excitedly. I turned my head to stare at my brother. I was about to tell him to stop talking, but I couldn't. He sounded happy, and I'd never stop that. "I'm only a seventh grader, and I'm still eleven. My name's Ryan Hartman. It's nice to meet you." He gave a genuine smile and my heart broke, because he never smiled that way anymore. At least, he never smiled like that since mom died. He gave the kind where his lips pulled back to show his white teeth, and his eyes squinted. I missed seeing that smile.

"I'm eleven too. Are you new to the school?" For the first time, I heard the youngest, Kari, whisper. His voice was so light that I had to strain to hear it. He lifted his eyes to the both of us. He was fiddling with his small hands, and for being a seventh grader in high school, he seemed much younger.

"Yeah, we just moved two weeks ago." Ryan answered. Suddenly the two younger boys broke into a conversation, and I leaned back in my chair to ignore them. I felt myself drifting into a depressing sleep, but I made sure to remain alert enough to break for the exit if it was required…

… "_Your mother died, and it's all your fault. You know why she died. You know why…" Opening my eyes I stared into darkness. The voice was still echoing in my sleep. I shivered at the familiar sound. "Her blood is on your hands."_

"_I never asked her to do it," I whispered. I was scared and weak, two things that I was never allowed to feel growing up. But with this voice, the second I heard it, I broke the tough charade I put on for everyone else._

"_Oh, but she had to."It hissed. I looked around for the enemy that never let me be. For two months, in my dreams, I could never escape. I waited to see it, but everything was so dark that I couldn't even see my own hands._

"_No," I shook my head. The darkness was closing in, as impossible as that sounded. I felt like I couldn't breathe, but I felt the need to try and explain myself. "She had a choice…she made the wrong choice. I never wanted that for her." Tears were falling down my eyes lightly as I collapsed onto the ground. I kneeled down. I wished to hide my face, I was so ashamed of my tears, but the air was too heavy. I couldn't lift my arms up in order to cover my weakness. "She made the wrong choice."_

"_You should've known better…"_

"_I didn't know! How was I supposed to know? I was born this way."_

"_You killed her," the voice hissed._

"_No, I didn't," I whispered. "She just made the wrong choice. SHE DID IT TO HERSELF!" I sobbed uncontrollably. I wouldn't willingly cry like this. I had always been able to hold it back except in my sleep. _

"_No, it was you. Admit it." I shook my head as the voice grew louder. "Come on Annabel, you know better. She was a good mother, wasn't she?" I didn't respond. "Why is she dead? She had no curse on her like you. She's dead because she sacrificed her life for you, so why won't you admit it."_

"_She made the wrong choice," I insisted between short breathes of air. The world fell back away from me, as the darkness formed into a shape. There stood the shadow that forever haunted me since the day my mother was killed. I felt my entire body go rigid. "She made the wrong choice," I muttered. When I finished my sentence, the shadow started towards me slowly. I kept repeating those words, hoping the shadow would believe me, but it didn't work. Just as its hand wrapped around my neck, I could only manage one more word. "No!"I flung myself forward and opened my eyes…_


	7. Fall From Above

Fall From Above

Tony had called it when he said I'd lose one day. But it was hard for me to believe, especially considering the fact that I had mutated genes that made me stronger and faster than anyone normal person.

Of course, it wasn't that day that I lost.

It happened approximately one month later.

Sweat dripped down my face as the crowd grew louder in screams and cheers. I lift my forearm to wipe the droplets of perspiration from my face. Backing away, I turned before I could see the two new fighters step into the ring. Following that, I would have to fight whoever won.

Since the start of the school year, I had grown more absorbed into the fighting. It cleared my mind from a lot of things. Jeb hadn't come by, but I anticipated his arrival at any moment with a new serum in hand. The people had become accustomed to me so much that I was a personal favorite. No one longer dared to bet against me. I practically ruled this ring.

Tony stood behind the bar, watching me. "Maxy-poo," he teased again, "You've been doing well." I cocked an eyebrow while I rested my elbows on the edge of the counter. A drunk blonde bumped into me, she slurred a sorry, and continued on her way. I rolled my eyes. "Want a drink?" Tony held a glass mug filled to the brim. The beer was foaming over. I shook my head, "Such a bad girl yet, such a good one."

"Whatever," I pushed myself away. When I looked over my shoulder, Tony was already busy working. Of all the men I hated, Tony would be the one I hated the least. He was constantly annoying, but at least he wasn't here for me. For the both of us, we were in this bar because it was a job. Nothing more. I could deal with that.

It was different with Jeb and those scientists. To them, I was just an experiment. As for the guys at my school, if they chose to bother me, it was because they had some indecent intentions. I had no time for that.

The crowd burst into cheers as I listened to the sound of a body falling. The group closed in while two men carried away the body. I pushed my way through, coming to the edge to see the floor stained with blood. The victor was shirtless, standing with his hands coiled into fists. A black bracelet circled around his wrist. "Max, you're up," a typical better called out. Someone's large hand pressed between my shoulder blades and pushed me forward.

That's when he turned around. My heart stuttered from disbelief. His dark eyes widened, completely shocked that I was standing before him. It must have been strange too, considering the blood stains on my sports bra and shorts and the wild tangles of my ponytail. I quickly shook off my surprise, ignoring the fact that he was completely unscathed. Placing my hands on my hips, I stared him down, "What are you doing here Pervert? Shouldn't you be at home, with your mommy tucking you in?" A few of the older men in the crowd started cackling. A woman screamed or the fight to start.

Pervert stood there though, as if he wasn't sure if he could handle fighting a girl. I inched him along though, sticking out my chin and tapping my cheek. "Come on," I dared, watching a spark in his eyes, "Hit me right there…if you can." Pervert tilted his head, obviously contemplating the situation. He knew he had to fight, and now, I was egging him on enough, that he wanted to fight.

Stepping towards me, he pulled back a closed fist and went to swing. I managed to duck, although his speed was quicker than I expected from a typical teenage boy. I stumbled backwards as the crowd let up a roar. How had I missed him these past couple weeks? Pervert followed after me, completely balanced and determined. I finally lifted my fists into the air, prepared to take a few blows and deliver some as well. I swung downwards, which he easily parried with his arm. His fist connected with my cheek, creating a numbing sting across my face. Sweat fell into my eyes. Pervert was calm and collected.

The fighting ensued. Hits were coming from every direction. The drunken crowd was going ballistic with every punch or kick. The circle itself had widen due to the fact that our movements were out of control. I had never fought someone as intense as him. No one had ever been this skilled as a fighter. I snarled my teeth, and made sure to sink my fist into him as hard as I could. He gave me back the same exact techniques. The pain began excruciating in my sides and legs. My arms were killing me with each hit I gave him, as if he was made of steel. Blood filled my mouth after a particular hit to the face.

I don't know at what point it became obvious that I was going to loose. It happened about mid-way, as I found Pervert was receiving more positive cheers than me. Deep down, the bile in my stomach was churning in protest. I couldn't lose to him, no one was supposed to beat me. I was built to fight—to practically kill—and yet, here he was proving all the scientists like Jeb wrong. I was no better than a skilled fighter. This guy…he had to be a God of some sort…the kind of God I once wished to save me from the pain, but had given up on. This is where he had been, in the form of some stupid, disappointment who could tear anyone he wished apart. It was with this realization that my guard dropped, my body willingly giving up. His fist connected with my cheek, the blow so strong that I was knocked down. The back of my head hit the ground, and everything else became dizzy.

From there, he stood over me while the crowd began to exchange the money. I felt blood pooling at the back of my mouth, forcing me to cough it up before I chocked. His dead, emotionless eyes stared down at me. He kept looking at me though, maybe trying to find some answer as to why I was here. I tilted my head and spit the blood in my mouth. It landed right in front of his feet. Hands were suddenly pulling at my arms, trying to clear the circle for the next fight. A bright light came into view, just as Pervert tilted his head. He held a hand, everything paused as he knelt down so that our faces were inches apart.

"It's Fang," he muttered.

* * *

Suddenly, his calloused hand tapped my cheek, where I had dared him to hit. Then, he was rising to his feet and walking away before I could even utter a response. The growing pain in my head overcame my consciousness, causing me to collapse into darkness. I was trapped within my own body as I felt myself being dragged away. In my mind, I was laughing, despite the pain. _Fang_, I thought cynically to myself,_ what a stupid name for God._

"Max," Lily's head fell down in front of me. I lifted my eyes to see her make-up face was flawless as usual. My fingers pressed against my cheek as I held my head up. For a moment, my eyesight went blurry. I blinked it away. "What happened to your lip?"

"God did it," I muttered. She laughed, enjoying the joke. I sat back in my chair, stretching my arms out over the top of my desk. I peered over to see the black hair and broad shoulders, sitting across the room. His head was bent over a book. "He's very good at hiding himself," I explained, as I looked back at my friend, "I never saw it coming. But don't worry, I'll get back at him."

"Why would God hurt you silly?" She asked. Lily's hands were behind her back, she bent down at the waist so that she could look at me.

"Because, that's what God does. I just need to know _how_ he managed to do it. No one's ever managed to hurt me before…" I stopped, catching myself before completing the sentence. It was bad enough that Fang had discovered my secret about the fighting. I couldn't let anyone catch on to my genetic mutations. As far as I knew, I was the only around like that…if anyone found out, I would be trapped at Area 51 being cut open. Or something along that line.

The last bell rang, making everyone sit down in their chairs. Our teacher stepped in from the classroom, explaining the tragedy that was MacBeth. He was basically a guy who found about his destiny, and because he tried to control it, everything happened as it was supposed to—except he died…not exactly his plan that one. When I peered over at Fang, he was switching a page in his book. The light glinted over the black bracelet, and my heart suddenly stopped.

_Damn it, I'm an idiot._ I looked away before I could be caught staring. I rubbed my temples, shaking my head. _He's no God…he's a cheat. _If I had known that, I would have fought much harder. I picked up my pencil and began to sketch into my notebook. What was his secret? What was it that he was hiding? Did Jeb go see him to?

Exactly who was Fang, and what sort of experiment did he turn out to be? I smirked to myself. Once I knew the answer, there was no one I would ever be defeated by him again. It was just a matter of getting that bracelet off of his wrist. Then everything would become as clear as when I took off my own bracelet in order to reveal the wings on my back.

* * *

**HEY there, sorry for the long update! that was chapter 7. I plan on picking the pace up from here. **

**If you enjoy my style of writing, you can go to and purchase my novel, Counting Stars. That's Chapter 6, incase you didn't know.**

**Write you later,**

**Rose**


	8. The Dark Blue

_Hi everyone! _

_I know you're expecting another update to these wonderful stories, but I am afraid that is not the case. That does not mean, however, that you won't get some enjoyable work of mine to read. I would like to let you know that my novel, __The Dark Blue__, the sequel to __Counting Stars__ is being released on September 10, 2011. Here, I am including the synopsis as well as Chapter 1. I hope you enjoy it._

_Rose Schroth_

* * *

"**Destiny will run its true course."**

Life refuses to be normal in the case of Annabel Hartman. As summer begins, she sets out to break the Alderic's curse. But things aren't as easy as she had hoped.

Henare, the head of the family, makes his appearance, as does the final element—metal.

Demetrius' intentions prove to be questionable at best.

And the worst of them all?

Annabel's friendship with Aiden is tearing at the seams.

In the sequel to Counting Stars, all that remains in the dark will be revealed, and the destiny of Annabel Hartman will finally be fulfilled.

* * *

_Chapter 1_

"Aiden."

At the sound of his name, Aiden Alderic turned his bright eyes on his only friend, Anna Hartman. Her voice was sweet and quiet, just barely a whisper as the two of them sat there together on the roof of the Alderic home. Aiden watched her as her eyes connected with his. With a raise of her chin and a shrug of her shoulders, she finally finished what she had started. "Can we be friends?"

"Forever," he replied without thought. Suddenly, his eyes went wide as the memory came rushing back. Every single question in his mind was suddenly answered. Anna caught the way his skin went pale and the way he suddenly looked at her differently. But he couldn't tell her what was going on.

Annabel was no longer the person he had met seven months ago on the first day of school. She wasn't just the girl who was his best friend that knew his deepest secret and never left him. She wasn't just the girl he was secretly in love with. That slight exchange of conversation had changed everything that he knew and switched it around. Suddenly, she was more than Aiden ever realized she could be.

"Aiden?" She asked, and he sensed that she was nervous. Instead of answering her, he shut his eyes for just a moment as he lay down. His hands were beneath his head as he opened up his eyes once more so that he could see the sky. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw her frown. "Aiden, what's going on? Just tell me, all right?" Aiden quickly turned his attention on her. He laughed and smiled at her.

"It's nothing, Anna," he assured her. She released the breath she had been holding in. "For now," Aiden whispered, "Just count some stars with me." Instantly, she rested down next to him. Her arm slightly touching his as they both stared up. Aiden began to count each star, but it didn't stop the frantic thoughts inside of his head.

_We lay there counting stars, but I barely say the dark night sky above me. My heart was beating with excitement and realization. I was once asked if I remembered, and now I did. I was once told that it was all my fault that Annabel's life was the way it was, and now I knew it truly was. I was the one who ruined her entire future. It was all my fault because of something that had happened long ago. How I never made this connection until now was a mystery to me. If Anna knew, she would never forgive me. She would hate me, and I would lose her. But, I didn't deserve her friendship. Knowing that I was the reason behind her pains, I wondered how she didn't even remember. We had met each other once before, six years ago, and that was the beginning to Anna's years of heartache…_

"Demetrius, why are you taking us to a park in another town?" Twelve-year-old Namir asked as the four Alderic brothers stepped outside of their car. Namir's black hair moved about in a soft, cold wind. To make it stop, he tapped his six-year-old brother, Kari. The young child stared at Namir as the wind died down. A look was shared between them as Kari read his brother's mind.

Demetrius, the oldest brother and only guardian of the younger three, was just twenty-four as he kneeled down in front of Namir. With a laid back smile that hid all of his true intentions, Demetrius placed a hand on Namir's shoulder, "To get away from everything for a bit. You guys deserve to have some fun." By everything they needed to get away from, the three boys that stood there knew their brother meant the terrible curse the four of them shared. "Namir," Demetrius continued, "Watch Kari all right? He's still young, and we can't have him slip up in public." Namir nodded his head and smiled. Then, eleven-year-old Aiden, who had been silent and angry as usual, became Demetrius' center of attention. "Stay out of trouble, all right?"

Aiden glared at his brother. His hands formed into his fists, he stomped his foot, and yelled in a low whisper, "Shut up! Water boy could mess up too! It's not fair that you act like he's better than me. He's not perfect!" Aiden felt his skin heat up. In frustration, he took a deep breath to cool the fire in his blood. "Why must you always act like it's me?" His voice was a dull, weak whisper. "It's not me all the time," he muttered.

"But it is," Namir muttered under his breath, "It's always because of you. Remember when Emi found out? Whose fault was that? Oh right, it was yours." Aiden went to attack his brother, only to have Demetrius stop him by stepping in between. Namir glared at Aiden past their brother's open arm. "Look here dragon breath, just stay away from people. Last thing we need is for you to set a bunch of innocent people on fire. Come on Kari, let's go play." Namir took the youngest Alderic out to the playground.

Demetrius ruffled Aiden's hair, but he pulled away. "Just go play." Demetrius smiled wide. Aiden kept his gaze on the children playing on the monkey bars and slides. They were so happy. He hated that. "Try to make a friend for once," Demetrius commented. Aiden growled in disgust. His brother sighed at him while standing up. "I'll be over there, all right?" Demetrius walked away and sat down on a bench next to an older woman.

Walking to the swings, Aiden was suddenly pushed to the ground. His hands caught him just in time to stop his face from hitting the sidewalk too hard. He grumbled in hate as he heard the giggling child run off without a care in the world. Aiden would've been upset that no one noticed him if it wasn't for the fact that he was used to it. He picked himself up only to be astounded by the sight before him.

Just by the empty swing set, a young girl, his age, stood there. The crazy world of childhood seemed blockaded away from her. She was just standing there staring up at the blue sky. Her brown hair was blowing in the natural wind. Her cheeks were red, and her mouth was set in a determined line. In an instant, she turned her back on him as she kept her eyes up.

Without much thought, Aiden walked over to her. His feet stepped onto the mulch, and she turned around at the sound. His thin pre-teen arms wrapped around her shoulders into a gentle, timid hug. At the movement of her arms around his waist, he released the nervous breath he had been holding in. She had accepted him. Suddenly, his heart felt like it was about to burst from happiness. Then, in a soft whisper, he heard her gentle voice ask him, "Can we be friends?"

"Forever," Aiden replied without a thought.

_How could I have forgotten Anna? Why is it the moment I saw her that first day of school, I didn't recognize my one and only friend from my childhood? She had changed, there was no other explanation. As a kid, Anna smiled happily. She was so open. It was as if she had no secrets to hide. Just being around her made me a better person. In the short time that I knew her back then, I smiled and felt wanted. Before her, my eleven-year-old self never knew what it meant for someone to actually see me. The Anna that came into my life later on, however, was angry and closed off. She was more like me. There was no way I could've connected the girl of my past to the Anna of my present._

"Aiden?" At the sound of her voice again, Aiden was pulled from his thoughts. Anna was sitting up now with her arms resting on her knees. "It's getting late," she commented. He could see his old friend in her now. She had the same dark blue eyes that hid layers of underlying thoughts and emotions that Aiden never understood. Suddenly, Anna yawned and stretched her arms over her head. The sleeves of her red shirt didn't cover up the pale lines that the stars lit up. Aiden frowned at the sight of her scars, remembering that Ritayu, a member of his own family, had done that to her-all to keep her away from him and his brothers. Anna sighed when she saw that Aiden was upset. "I'm all right Aiden," she reassured him.

Aiden sat up, and stared her right in the eyes. He didn't quite believe her. Just a week ago, she had almost died. Ritayu had tried to kill her. Aiden was so close to losing her. But, he held back all his worries and simply asked, "Are you sure?" Anna nodded her head, but it wasn't a good enough answer for him still.

"You don't need to take care of me," she defended. Aiden sighed. He knew she would be like that. A part of him wanted to tell her that he had to take care of her. He was compelled to make sure that she was never hurt by him or anyone else. Aiden wanted to protect her because he loved her more than he should. But, he also knew the only reason Anna needed protection was because of him.

Anna's head suddenly rested on his shoulder, which caught him by surprise. Not too long ago, the gesture would've sent his heart racing, and Aiden would have had no clue as to what it meant. He knew now. He knew why she was his world, why there was no life without her, and why he needed her. Aiden pretended as if he didn't feel a thing though as he whispered to her, "All right, I think it's time to go. I don't want you to fall asleep and then roll off the roof."

Anna lifted her head and looked at him. Her nose crinkled at the bridge as she shut her eyes and smiled. Her small laugh echoed out into the silent night. Aiden had no choice but to smile as well. He couldn't help himself around her. "I guess you're right," Anna replied.

_Slowly, she was letting down her walls. Anna, whether she knew it or not, was becoming the girl I had met six years ago at a park in a town I never visited before. Knowing it was her all along that had always accepted me, I thought that it was destiny. It just so happened that on the day I was there, she would be there too. The girl who I would fall in love with, it was her…but, ultimately, it was me that ruined her life. If she had never met me that day, her mother would still be alive. She wouldn't have those scars. But seeing her smile and laugh again made it worth being a part of her life, and showed how selfish I truly was. Anna trusted me, she told me her darkest secret that she was meant to save the world, and yet, I was hiding more secrets from her than I should be allowed. She trusted me again, like she had those many years ago on the one day in my childhood where I had a real friend. But, Anna didn't know that, she didn't remember…_

Young Aiden and Anna sat side by side on the swing set. Around them was the excitement of the children. They were screaming with happiness as they ran about, but the two new friends were silent. Aiden stared at her as Anna slowly rocked back and forth with her eyes facing forward. He didn't know her name, and she didn't know his, but he didn't feel the need to ask. They were meant to be friends, he could tell.

Suddenly Anna smirked, "That's my brother." She lifted her delicate finger out to the group of children. Aiden recognized the kid who had pushed him to the ground. He was scrawny and small, most likely around Kari's age. Aiden nodded his head to show her that he saw who she was pointing too. "Do you have any brothers?" She asked.

"Yeah," Aiden admitted. No one had ever asked him questions before. No one had ever taken the interest to. He felt his palms go sweaty on the chains of the swing. "Demetrius is the one over there who is sleeping. He's our guardian. He thinks I always get into trouble." Aiden turned his pointer finger from his oldest brother to his sworn enemy, Namir, and his younger brother, Kari. "Those are my brothers too. Namir, he's a jerk. Don't talk to him. Kari's the youngest. They don't like me." Aiden sighed as Anna's eyes turned to him. He averted his attention away from her. "No one likes me," he muttered. He dug the toe of his sneaker into the mulch. His knuckles were sore from his tight grip on the swing.

Suddenly, a cool hand reached over and managed to take his right hand away from the swing. Fingers, soft and gentle, intertwined with his in one fluid motion. Aiden's heart sped up in shock as he lifted his eyes up to Anna. Their hands hung in the air between them. Her hold was strong as if she was telling him that she would never let go. "It must be hard," she reasoned, "To feel like that." Aiden turned his eyes away from her. He figured she just pitied him. "But it's not true, you shouldn't feel like that, because I like you." His eyes darted over to her to see if she was serious. She had a gentle smile on her face as she squeezed his hand. "I mean it," she whispered, "I really like you."

"But," Aiden retorted, "We just met. You don't know me." Anna titled her head. Her hair swept over her shoulder. "You don't even know my name, and I don't know yours. What if I'm a monster? What if I'm cursed? You wouldn't like me then." She kept smiling though, which made Aiden nervous. She wasn't running away like the rest of the world. She was holding on to his hand still. "You don't know me," he repeated.

"But I do," Anna whispered. "I knew who you were the second you hugged me." Her gentle smile made Aiden begin to smile as well. "You're my best friend, I can tell. If you're cursed or whatever, that's okay. I'd never hate you." Aiden's grin grew wide and at that instant, there was a flash.

Both Aiden and Annabel jumped and looked behind them to see a woman standing there with a camera. Aiden recognized her as the one Demetrius had sat down next to. The woman smiled as he heard Anna groan in embarrassment, "Mom!" Aiden's mouth dropped open as he stared at the woman. She truly was his friend's mother. They both had long, chestnut brown hair and wide, memorizing grins.

The older woman approached them, "I'm sorry honey, but I had to." She looked down at Aiden, and he suddenly felt very aware that he was holding Anna's hand still. "Hello," she laughed as Aiden and Anna pulled their hands apart. Aiden blinked as a camera waved in front of his face. "Would you mind taking a picture of us, please?" Aiden nodded his head and took the black, small object.

Anna's mother took her daughter and stood in front of Aiden. "Uh…smile," Aiden said, hoping that was normal. He lifted the machine to one eye. "1…2…3…," there was a click and a second of dark blue nothingness until the sound of the camera running greeted him. He kept staring through the peephole at Anna and her mother still standing there smiling. He wanted to be in the picture, he wanted to be a part of it, even just for a second. Aiden sighed when he knew that could never happen. He put the camera down.

As he handed back the camera to her mother, Anna sat back down on the swing. "Honey, we're leaving soon," Anna's mother replied. Aiden's stomach dropped at the thought. Anna had only just entered his life. He didn't want to lose her already. "I need you to go get your brother for me." Then, her eyes were to Aiden, "Thank you for taking the picture. I hope you come to the park again sometime soon." Then, Anna's mother walked away.

Anna stood up. "I'm sorry that I have to go," she whispered. She kicked a few pieces of mulch away from her. She seemed upset, "I really don't want to." Aiden stood up so that he was in front of her. Anna lifted her eyes up to him and smiled, "You'd make a good friend to have." Aiden smiled. "Don't forget me, all right? I know I won't forget you," she admitted. A deep blush formed on her cheeks as she looked away.

"I won't forget you, never ever," he promised. Anna looked at him. In one quick second, she leaned up on her toes. She closed the space between them so that their lips touched for barely a moment. Then, she ran off without Aiden knowing if that had actually happened or not. Watching her leave, Aiden smirked. His only regret was never getting her name.

_Anna didn't remember when I told her the very story that started our friendship. She had promised me that she would never forget, but she had. It hurt to know that, but it didn't change the facts. All of this time, it had been about her. She was who I wanted to believe was meant to be with me. But…I was cursed. The reason for every single pain in her life since that day was because of me. In all truths, no matter how much I loved Anna Hartman, I could never be with her because of one remaining fact._

_It was all my fault._

* * *

_If you liked what you read, then purchase the novel on Lulu (dot) com. You can find it exclusively there as well as the first book. Don't miss out on my first series, and don't worry! I have another book that's going to be released in March of 2012, the start of a four book series. You can find out more about everything at my website, a link is posted on my fanfiction site._

_Thank you to those who constantly support me._

_Rose_


	9. Divine Intervention

Divine Intervention

"You've been staring."

The muttered words came from underneath his warm breath, right beside my ear and brushing against my hair. Spinning on my heels, I turned to find his face inches from mine. Up close, without the pain of a headache rushing through me, I caught a better glimpse at him. Along the bridge of his nose was porous skin, and a few hairs of his eyebrows were actually white. His thin lips were cocked in a smirk. The thick, heavy flow of the crowd forced him to stand close to me, his chest inches from mine. I held my ground, despite the pulsing nerves running through my veins.

"At what?" I spat back, tilting my head and narrowing my eyes.

"And you call me the Perv," he stepped to the side, providing more distance. I felt my body slightly relax. His fingers began to twirl at the locker. "I'm guessing you need an explanation."

"An explanation?" I pretended to act cool and in control. I wasn't going to give away all my cards just because I had underestimated this punk and he beat me once in a fight.

His dark eyes slyly slid down to stare at my wrist, glancing at the obvious black bracelet at the edge of my white sleeve. I yanked my hand back behind my back, which caused a slight chuckle under his breath. "Exactly." Fang quickly opened the locker, shoving his bag inside, and then slamming it back shut. "If you want your answer, then let's go." He jerked his head over his shoulder, out towards the ongoing hallway.

Overhead, a bell chimed for the start of next class, students picking up their pace to make it up in time. We remained still, staring at each other in a dare. Whoever caved first would obviously be the loser. I felt my eyes begin to twitch while Fang remained calm.

In the signs of the empty hall, a glint swept across his dark eyes that caught me off guard. Within the instant, his hand was wrapping around my wrist and pulling me forward. His head began to bow, his eyes directly staring past mine into my mind. My heart leapt against my ribs, probably breaking one or two from the sudden shock. I ducked my head and pulled away. Fang easily let go.

"I win."

_Damn it._

* * *

Light broke through the trees. Fall had surrounded us now completely, the oranges and yellows mixing in with the hues of brown and red. Fang stood out in the bright light, his jacket rolled up to his sleeves and his black hair rustling in the wind. The school was long forgotten as he shoved his hands in his pockets and turned around to face me.

I was hesitantly standing there, wondering exactly what this boy was thinking. His stone, serious face revealed absolutely nothing. I felt the twitching of my eyebrows, feeling the increase in annoyance of being around him. I had never willingly followed anyone, much less a boy, into the woods.

"Are you after me?" I finally asked.

"You're not my type," he responded calmly.

"That's not what I mean," I muttered, pressing my fingers against my head and shut my head.

"Just wanted to be clear," he pointed out. I could already feel my jaw tighten. A tree creaked, and when I picked my head up to look, I watched Fang jumping between two trees to climb upwards until he could grab a hold of a branch. His movements were flawless and accurate, skills designed through genetic manipulation.

"Are you Jeb's experiment?" I proceeded, knowing that his childish behavior would continue on and I would just have to deal with it.

"Yep," was his one word response as he lay down on the branch. His legs dangled down and swung back and forth while his hands rested behind his head.

"Did you know about me?"

"Nope," he responded. So, he had been left out of the loop, just like me. Yet, something was odd. For the two of us to meet, it had to be something with Jeb and his cronies. I dug my sneaker into the dirt. The forest rustled with the sounds of all the forest animals. "Is that all? Psh, you're so boring. I expected this bad ass intervention. I literally expected a fist in my face."

Picking my head up in anger, I was able to catch Fang fall over the branch and land back on the ground. "What do you mean by that?" I asked, obviously offended. Fang took two large steps to land in front of me, his hand staring down at me.

"That ridiculous girl at the bar who was fighting? Where the hell is she now?" Fang shook his head, "She was kind of hot, but whatever." He shrugged and looked out into the woods.

"Why do you fight?" I jabbed at him, my pride wounded from his attack.

Fang sighed, "Because that's what I was made to do." His shield broke for a moment as his eyes softened. "Fucking weapons. That's all we are. Isn't that why you fight too?" A wind brushed by, sending his bangs out of his face. A light scar that had been hidden became visible. In the emptiness of my silence, he assumed my answer. "Exactly." His face became stone again, "Except, you don't seem as lost as I feel. How unfair. From here, I won't bother you."

Fang shrugged casually before starting to walk away. I stood there, frozen and completely confused. "What the hell were you looking for? My sympathy?" I called, "Because I'm not going to be all friendly and shit just because we both have crappy lifestyles. Don't expect me to look to you for comfort or anything. I'm my own."

"Max," his voice paused, and then, he was shaking his head. I felt my body straighten, having never heard him say my name like that. "Never mind. You'll come to me when you're ready." Then, he continued on walking away as if expecting me to run after him.

* * *

_Hey there! Sorry of the long update. I've been adjusting to college and working on my own original work. If you're still reading this, then thank you for holding on. As for those who made comments about me posting the chapters about my novels, please understand that it was the only way that I could update other readers who were interested in learning about my novel. From now on, there will be no more of that, I promise. Instead, I will post anything of that nature on my own website, which wasn't set up at the time. Speaking of which, if you want to read my blog or learn more about my novels, go to the website roseschroth(dot)com._

_Thank you fans for continuing to read. I will do my best to update!_

_Rose _


End file.
